If you’re looking for the best TV shows on HBO, you’re looking for the gold standard of prestige television. Even in 2026, with every platform trying to copy the formula, there’s still a specific “HBO feel”—a weight to the cinematography, a surgical precision in the writing, and a refusal to treat the audience like they have a five-second attention span. When you hit play on a Max original, you expect real filmmaking, not just content.
Finding the best TV shows on HBO means sifting through decades of landmark hits to find the series that actually changed the game. This list skips the obvious giants we’ve covered in our previous guides—no repeats of Succession, The Wire, or The Last of Us here. Instead, we’re digging into the masterclasses of mood, visual authorship, and pacing that prove why HBO (and Max) still owns the throne. If you want a binge that feels like a ten-hour movie directed by a pro, start here.
Best for: Cinephiles who want top-rated series with high visual intentionality, unique directing styles, and deep character psychology.
Common cinephile pain points this list solves: “Mid-tier” streaming fluff / Shows that look like they were shot on a flat soundstage / Predictable network-style plotting / Wanting shows that reward multiple rewatches.
Related Lists: HBO Movies That Feel Properly Made / The Best TV Shows Worth Watching Right Now / The Best of the Best TV Shows / Shows We’d Recommend Without Hesitation
What to watch for
The hallmark of HBO streaming hits is the visual subtext. A great HBO show doesn’t just use dialogue to explain stakes; it uses the camera. Watch for the editing rhythms—especially in the psychological dramas—where a quick cut or a long, static shot tells you more about a character’s state of mind than a monologue. Pay attention to the sound design, which often builds the world through environmental texture rather than just a loud score.
10 best TV shows on HBO
1. Euphoria (2019– ) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Sam Levinson
Plot: A group of high school students navigates a complex world of drugs, identity, and trauma, where their internal lives are projected through a hyper-stylized, neon-soaked reality.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: It’s the best TV show on HBO for pure visual audacity. The cinematography is kinetic, using 360-degree camera rigs and expressive lighting to mirror the characters’ emotional highs and lows. It’s a masterclass in how to use cinematography as a narrative voice.
2. Sharp Objects (2018) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Marti Noxon (Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée)
Plot: A crime reporter returns to her small hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls, forcing her to confront the psychological scars of her own past and a volatile relationship with her mother.
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: This is surgical editing at its peak. The show uses rapid, fragmented “flash-cuts” to represent memory and trauma, creating a hypnotic mood that feels both claustrophobic and deeply immersive. Jean-Marc Vallée’s handheld directing style makes the town feel alive and rotting at the same time.
3. The Rehearsal (2022– ) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Nathan Fielder
Plot: A man allows ordinary people to prepare for life’s biggest moments by “rehearsing” them in meticulously constructed simulations, leading to a bizarre descent into conceptual obsession.
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: It is production design as meta-storytelling. Fielder builds 1:1 replicas of real-world bars and apartments to control the blocking of human interaction. It’s an authored, experimental series that pushes the boundaries of what TV can even be in 2026.
4. The Pacific (2010) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Bruce C. McKenna (Produced by Spielberg/Hanks)
Plot: Follows the interlocking journeys of three Marines through the brutal, alien terrain of the Pacific Theater during World War II, focusing on the physical and psychological toll of the conflict.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max / Netflix
Why it’s a must-watch: It’s tactile war filmmaking with elite sound design. Unlike the brotherhood focus of other shows, this emphasizes isolation and environmental dread. The action blocking is incredibly clear despite the chaotic settings, making the firefights feel terrifyingly physical.
5. Big Little Lies (2017–2025) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: David E. Kelley (Season 1 directed by Jean-Marc Vallée)
Plot: The seemingly perfect lives of three mothers in a wealthy seaside community begin to unravel after a murder occurs at a local elementary school fundraiser.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: This is pro-level ensemble blocking. The direction uses the natural light and architecture of Monterey to show the power dynamics and secrets hidden behind the characters’ wealth. The tonal control between dark humor and genuine suspense is flawless.
6. Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–2024) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Larry David
Plot: A fictionalized version of Larry David navigates a never-ending series of social misunderstandings and petty grievances in Los Angeles, often making things much worse for himself.
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: It’s the best comedy engine on television. Because the show is mostly improvised, the rhythm and pacing are entirely dependent on the actors’ chemistry and the editor’s ability to find the beat. It’s a 24-year masterclass in comedic setup and payoff.
7. The Young Pope (2016) 🇮🇹🇺🇸🇫🇷
Director/Creator: Paolo Sorrentino
Plot: A young, charming, and fiercely conservative American cardinal is elected Pope, leading to a series of power struggles and internal crises within the Vatican.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: It is visually authored TV in every sense. Sorrentino uses symmetrical composition, slow-motion, and a bold, eclectic soundtrack to turn the Vatican into a surrealist dreamscape. The production design is breathtaking, making every frame look like a high-fashion painting.
8. Treme (2010–2013) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: David Simon / Eric Overmyer
Plot: Set in post-Katrina New Orleans, the show tracks a diverse group of residents as they try to rebuild their lives and protect their unique cultural heritage through music and food.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: This is sound and atmosphere as a lead character. Like Simon’s other work, it relies on naturalistic blocking and a refusal to simplify the story. The live music sequences are shot with such a sense of place that you can practically feel the humidity of the city.
9. The Righteous Gemstones (2019– ) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Danny McBride
Plot: Follows a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work, all in the name of the Lord.
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: It has a unique visual identity for a comedy. Shot on 35mm with wide lenses and high-contrast color, it looks like a 1970s crime epic but plays like a hilarious farce. The blocking in the family mansions is used to show the massive egos and fragility of the characters.
10. The Larry Sanders Show (1992–1998) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Garry Shandling / Dennis Klein
Plot: A behind-the-scenes look at the ego, insecurity, and backstage politics of a popular late-night talk show host and his dysfunctional staff.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: It set the standards in television for the “meta” comedy. It switches between the “clean” video look of the talk show and the “gritty” film look of the backstage world, using the visual contrast to tell a story about authenticity and performance. It’s an essential piece of TV history for any cinephile.
What to watch next
Next category: TV Shows You’ll Finish Faster Than You Expect (because once you’ve cleared the best HBO originals, you’ll want some high-momentum series that you can crush in a single weekend).